Improvement in feathering paddle-wheels



A. LEFEBVRE.

Feathering Paddle Wheels.

Patented Ma 13.1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFIGE.

ALEXANDER LEFEBVRE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEATHE RING PADDLE-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,900, dated May 13,1873 application filed March 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LEFEBVRE, of the city and county of SanFrancisco, State. of California, have invented an Improved FeatheringPaddle-Wheel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to that class of wheels which are employed forpropelling boats and vessels through thewater, and which are intended tooffer the least resistance to the entrance and exit of the buckets, bycausing them to feather, as it is termed; and it consists in a novelconstruction and arrangement of the buckets and their operatingmechanism, whereby they are caused to enter the water, and leave it atthe angle of least resistance, and are at the same time fixed in theproper position during the time of the immersion of the buckets, so thatits whole force is exerted to drive the vessel along.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ofmy invention, Figure 1 is side elevation of a wheel of my improvedconstruction. Fig. 2 is a view of a section of the wheel, showing theoperating mechanism more perfectly.

A is the axle, and B B the arms of a paddle-wheel. These arms arestrengthened in the usual manner by two or more rims, C, and at the endof each arm is a'transverse rod 'or bar, D, which extends across thewheel, for a purpose hereafter shown. The buckets E are hung looselyfrom one edge upon rods F, which extend across the wheel at a sufficientdistance from the bars D, so that when the bucket is at the furthestpoint from the center of the wheel the outer edge will just rest againstthe bar D, and when the bucket is drawn it will swing clear of this bar.The rod or axesF of the buckets extend through slots in the arms B ofthe wheel, and are supported in supplementary or sliding arms, G, whichmove out and in, being guided upon the arms B. At the inner ends ofthese sliding arms are frictionrollers H.

The operating mechanism may be situated near the center of the wheel;and consists of a curved bar, I, pivoted at a point, J, below the centerof the wheel. This bar has secured to'it two arms, K K, the ends ofwhich curve inward, so that the friction-rollers'H will pass between thebar I and the arms K.

'When the bar I is moved to one side about its center of suspension, asshown, each friction-roller, as it reaches the arm K upon the sidetoward which the wheel is turning, will be pressed out by the arm andcarry the sliding bar G withit. This forces the axis F of the bucketoutward, so that, asthe bucket enters the water, its free edge will beforced back, and will be supported by the bar D, the bucket'becoming atonce stationary and rigid until nearly ready to leave the water. Thefriction-roller H then comes in contact with the bar I upon that side,and is forced inward again, carrying the sliding arms G and the bucket,so that it will thus clear the rod D and swing freely during theremainder of the revolution.

If the wheel is to be reversed, the action of the buckets must also bereversed, and this is done by means of a sliding bar, L, which isconnected with the bar I by "an elbowjoint, M, at each end. The bar isconnected by a rod, N, with a vertical shaft in theframework whichsupports the wheel, and this carries a bell-crank lever at the top,which is in turn connected with the other sideof the wheel, and alsowith the rack-bar 0 just beneath the axle of the wheel, and by which thewhole is operated. A pinion, 1?, upon the shaft of the wheel serves tomove the rack-bar in either direction when the wheel is reversed.

The outer tooth at each end of the rack-bar is pivoted, as shown, at r,so that when the rack-bar has reached a point which will cause thepinion tomesh with this tooth, it will trip, and the bar will be forcedno further; but when the motion is reversed, the pinion will act upon itand move the rack back. This renders my device perfectly automatic inits action, and it is efficient, and not liable to get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire tosecure by Letthe pinion, substantially as and for the purters Patent,ispose described.

1. The operating-bars Iand K, connected In Witness whereof I havehereunto set with the sliding bar L by the joint M, in commy hand andseal.

bination with the connecting and vertical LE B H bars, and the rack Oand ,the pinion I, sub- FE VRE [L stantiallyas and for the purposedescribed. Witnesses:

2. The rack 0, having its outer tooth at G. W. M. SMITH,

each end pivoted at r, so as to be operated by FRAN OIs J ALLU.

